Understanding electrochemical reactions beyond equations, by exploring matter at the very heart of its interfaces — this is what drives Olivier Fontaine. A specialist in advanced electrolytes, he aims to design materials capable of better storing and converting energy, in the context of an urgent energy transition. For him, electrochemistry is both a fundamental science and a tool for society.

Trained at Université Paris Diderot, he refined his vision at the Collège de France by working on nanomaterials chemistry, then at the University of St Andrews, focusing on batteries. He continues his research at the intersection of complex materials and molecular electrochemistry, asking the question: How can molecular chemistry and its electrochemistry be used to better understand electron and ionic transfers in batteries?